U.S. patent application number 12/446406 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-23 for timepiece hand, movement for driving such a hand and corresponding timepiece.
This patent application is currently assigned to VAUCHER MANUFACTURE FLEURIER S.A.. Invention is credited to Frederic Crettex, Sebastien Jeanneret.
Application Number | 20100322036 12/446406 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38198211 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100322036 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Crettex; Frederic ; et
al. |
December 23, 2010 |
TIMEPIECE HAND, MOVEMENT FOR DRIVING SUCH A HAND AND CORRESPONDING
TIMEPIECE
Abstract
A hand for a timepiece including a base is intended to be driven
by a drive member of a clock movement to rotate about a first axis
of rotation, the base being extended by a first index portion. The
latter defines a support for a second index portion intended to be
driven in terms of rotation with respect to the support about a
second axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the first
axis of rotation by a drive mobile of the clock movement. The hand
can be driven conventionally to display the time, in relation to
graduations borne by a dial, while rotation of the second index
portion allows additional information to be displayed which may be
independent of the time. The resulting bulk of this structure is
modest and visually de-clutters the display area of the timepiece
while allowing several timekeeping complications to be displayed
simultaneously.
Inventors: |
Crettex; Frederic;
(Prangins, CH) ; Jeanneret; Sebastien; (Le Locle,
CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
209 Madison Street, Suite 500
Alexandria
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
VAUCHER MANUFACTURE FLEURIER
S.A.
Fleurier
CH
|
Family ID: |
38198211 |
Appl. No.: |
12/446406 |
Filed: |
October 19, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
October 19, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2007/061227 |
371 Date: |
April 20, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
368/80 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G04B 19/042 20130101;
G04B 45/003 20130101; G04B 19/21 20130101; G04B 19/02 20130101;
G04B 9/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
368/80 |
International
Class: |
G04B 19/04 20060101
G04B019/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 20, 2006 |
EP |
06122680.9 |
Claims
1-17. (canceled)
18. A hand for a timepiece comprising a base, intended to be driven
by a drive member of a clock movement to rotate about a first axis
of rotation, said base being extended by a first index portion
intended to collaborate with graduations of the timepiece, wherein
said first index portion defines a support for a second index
portion equipped with a spur or bevel toothing, with reference to a
second axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to said first
axis of rotation, and intended to be driven in terms of rotation
with respect to said support, about the said second axis of
rotation, by a drive mobile of said clock movement.
19. The hand as claimed in claim 18, wherein said base comprises a
pipe the axis of which is coincident with said first axis of
rotation, said first index portion being defined by a shaft
extending substantially perpendicular to said pipe from said
base.
20. The hand as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first portion
bears a retaining element, some distance from said base, defining
an axial banking for said second index portion, said axial banking
also performing a function of angularly positioning said second
index portion with respect to said base.
21. The hand as claimed in claim 19, wherein said first portion
bears a retaining element, some distance from said base, defining
an axial banking for said second index portion, said axial banking
also performing a function of angularly positioning said second
index portion with respect to said base.
22. The hand as claimed in claim 18, wherein it comprises elastic
means designed in such a way as to exert a force on said second
index portion that tends to keep it against said axial banking
while at the same time allowing it to move away from said axial
banking in order to rotate on itself.
23. The hand as claimed in claim 18, wherein said second index
portion has graduations relating to the value of a parameter
associated with said clock movement or relating to a time
parameter.
24. The hand as claimed in claim 18, wherein said second index
portion has at least one mobile window positioned in such a way as
to move in order to reveal or conceal a visual marking
representative of the angular position thereof with respect to said
base.
25. The hand as claimed in claim 18, wherein it comprises a third
index portion coaxial with said first and second portions and
arranged between these, this portion being intended to be driven in
terms of rotation with respect to said support by said clock
movement about said second axis of rotation and independently of
said second index portion.
26. The hand as claimed in claim 25, wherein said third index
portion also has a spur or bevel toothing with reference to said
second axis of rotation and is intended to collaborate with an
additional driving toothing of said clock movement.
27. A clock movement comprising a going train kinematically
connected to drive means for rotationally driving at least a base
of a hand about a first axis of rotation substantially
perpendicular to an overall plane of the movement, said base being
secured to a first index portion intended to collaborate with
graduations of the timepiece, wherein it further comprises at least
one additional drive mobile designed to drive a second index
portion of said hand, this second portion being supported by said
first index portion, in terms of rotation about a second axis of
rotation substantially perpendicular to said first axis of
rotation.
28. The clock movement as claimed in claim 27, wherein said
additional drive mobile has a spur or bevel toothing designed to be
placed in mesh with a spur or bevel toothing of said second index
portion.
29. The clock movement as claimed in claim 28, wherein said
additional drive mobile is designed in such a way that it
periodically drives said second index portion so that it makes half
a revolution on itself in order to exhibit a first or a second
distinct angular position.
30. The clock movement as claimed in claim 29, wherein it comprises
a whip mechanism actuated to control the movements of said
additional drive mobile.
31. The clock movement as claimed in claim 28, comprising a source
of energy that has a predefined power reserve, wherein said
additional drive mobile is controlled in such a way as to associate
the angular position of said second index portion with the
magnitude of said power reserve at each moment.
32. The clock movement as claimed in claim 31, further comprising a
winding mechanism connected to an input of said source of energy,
said source also comprising an output connected to said going
train, the movement further comprising differential gearing having
a first input kinematically connected to said input of said source
of energy, a second input kinematically connected to said output of
said source of energy and an output kinematically connected to said
additional drive mobile.
33. The clock movement as claimed in claim 32, wherein it comprises
a first and a second gear-train, these two gear-trains being
arranged, respectively, between said input of said source of energy
and said first input of said differential gearing and between said
output of said source of energy and said second input of said
differential gearing, said first and second gear-trains having
different respective gear ratios.
34. The clock movement as claimed in claim 27, wherein it comprises
additional drive means designed to allow the rotational driving of
a third index portion of said hand which is coaxial with said first
and second index portions, about said second axis of rotation.
35. A timepiece comprising a case closed by a glass and defining a
housing in which there is positioned a clock movement designed to
drive a hand moving between said movement and said glass, said hand
comprising a base, intended to be driven by drive means of a clock
movement to rotate about a first axis of rotation substantially
perpendicular to an overall plane of the movement, said base being
extended by a first index portion intended to collaborate with
graduations of the timepiece, wherein said first index portion
defines a support for a second index portion equipped with a spur
or bevel toothing, with reference to a second axis of rotation
substantially perpendicular to said first axis of rotation, and
intended to be driven in terms of rotation with respect to said
support, about the said second axis of rotation, by a drive mobile
of said clock movement.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a hand for a timepiece
comprising a base, intended to be driven by a drive member of a
clock movement to rotate about a first axis of rotation, the base
being extended by a first index portion intended to collaborate
with graduations of the timepiece.
[0002] The present invention also relates to a clock movement
designed to allow such a hand to be driven and to a timepiece
comprising this movement associated with this hand.
PRIOR ART
[0003] Such hands are commonplace in the field of horology, a
timepiece generally having several of these, each associated with a
predefined particular parameter, in relation to graduations borne
by a dial.
[0004] Thus, timepieces have long been known in which three hands
are used to display the hours, minutes and seconds, while
additional hands are provided to display supplementary information
such as the date, a second time zone, the phases of the moon, the
power reserve, etc.
[0005] Because of concerns associated with bulk, particularly the
display area of the timepiece, it may, however, be desirable to
associate a hand with several parameters to be displayed
simultaneously, particularly in the case of timepieces in the
complication style.
[0006] By way of example, patent application EP 1 413 934,
published on Apr. 28, 2004 in the name of ETA SA a Swiss
clockmaker, describes a timepiece in which an hours hand that makes
one revolution in twelve hours is mounted coaxially on a disk
driven by the movement in order to make one revolution in
twenty-four hours. The disk is made up of two half-disks, one light
and the other dark, which are positioned with reference to the
hours hand in order to indicate day or night in relation to this
hand. By virtue of this structure, the hours hand displays two
items of time information simultaneously.
[0007] Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,864 describes a watch
representing the solar system. This watch comprises a mechanism
designed in such a way that, when the shaft of the seconds hand
rotates under the action of the movement, the earth moves in a
circular orbit and also revolves about its axis.
[0008] Finally, European application EP 1 705 535 describes a
timepiece comprising a sun gear rotating about a first axis of
rotation and comprising three pivot shafts on which planet gears
are pivot-mounted. The planet gears revolve about a second axis of
rotation perpendicular to the first axis. The mechanism is arranged
in such a way that the rotation of the planet gears is associated
with the rotation of the sun gear.
[0009] However, the mechanisms described in the aforementioned
patents or patent applications are unable simultaneously to
indicate parameters that are independent of one another.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0010] A main object of the present invention is to alleviate the
disadvantages of the known mechanisms of the prior art by proposing
a hand for a timepiece that allows a number of information items to
be displayed simultaneously, some of these information items being
independent of one another, and a movement able to control such a
hand.
[0011] To this end, the present information more particularly
relates to a hand of the type mentioned above, characterized in
that the first index portion defines a support for a second index
portion equipped with a spur or bevel toothing, with reference to a
second axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the first
axis of rotation, and intended to be driven in terms of rotation
with respect to the support, about the second axis of rotation, by
a drive mobile of the clock movement.
[0012] By virtue of this feature, the hand may be driven in the
conventional way in order to display the time, for example, in
relation to graduations borne by a dial, while rotation of the
second index portion allows an additional piece of information to
be displayed which may be independent of the time. Furthermore, the
resulting bulk of this structure is modest and allows the display
region of the corresponding timepiece to be visually de-cluttered
by comparison with the solutions of the prior art.
[0013] Numerous alternative forms of embodiment are conceivable
without departing from the scope of the invention, depending on the
parameter chosen. In particular, it is possible to anticipate
driving the second index portion continuously, in order to display
a power reserve, for example, or to drive it periodically, in order
to display day/night information or alternatively the activation
condition of an additional function, such as an alarm, for example.
In such cases, the second index portion has graduations relating to
the value of a parameter associated with said clock movement or
relating to a time parameter.
[0014] According to an alternative form of embodiment, provision
may be made for the hand to comprise a third index portion also
mounted to rotate with reference to the support and driven off the
movement in order to display an additional parameter. As a
preference, the third index portion is coaxial with said first and
second portions and arranged between these, this portion being
intended to be driven in terms of rotation with respect to said
support by said clock movement about said second axis of rotation
and independently of said second index portion.
[0015] By virtue of these features it is possible, by way of
illustration, to anticipate displaying the power reserve of a clock
movement and the day/night information using the hours hand
alone.
[0016] The invention also relates to a clock movement comprising a
going train kinematically connected to drive means for rotationally
driving at least a base of a hand about a first axis of rotation
substantially perpendicular to an overall plane of the movement,
said base being secured to a first index portion intended to
collaborate with graduations of the timepiece, and characterized in
that it further comprises at least one additional drive mobile
designed to drive a second index portion of said hand, this second
portion being supported by said first index portion, in terms of
rotation about a second axis of rotation substantially
perpendicular to said first axis of rotation.
[0017] The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising a case
closed by a glass and defining a housing in which there is
positioned a clock movement as defined herein above, said movement
being designed to drive a hand as defined hereinabove, this hand
moving between said movement and said glass.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become more clearly apparent from reading the detailed description
of a preferred embodiment which follows, given with reference to
the attached drawings which are provided by way of nonlimiting
examples and in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 depicts a simplified plan view, from the bridges
side, of one exemplary embodiment of a movement for a timepiece
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 depicts a simplified cross-sectional view of part of
the movement of FIG. 1, the section being on II-II;
[0021] FIG. 3 depicts a simplified cross-sectional view of another
part of the movement of FIG. 1, the section being on III-III
visible in FIG. 5;
[0022] FIG. 4 depicts a simplified plan view, from the plate side,
of part of the movement for the timepiece of FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 5 depicts a simplified plan view similar to the view of
FIG. 4 of another part of the movement for the timepiece of FIG. 1
in a first configuration;
[0024] FIG. 6 depicts a simplified plan view similar to the view of
FIG. 5, in a second configuration;
[0025] FIG. 7a depicts a simplified cross-sectional view of a
constructional detail of the movement of FIG. 1, according to an
alternative form of embodiment; and
[0026] FIG. 7b depicts a simplified cross-sectional view of the
constructional detail of FIG. 7a, on the plane of section
identified by the line P-P in FIG. 7a, perpendicular to the plane
of the latter.
EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION
[0027] The figures and the detailed description which follow relate
to a movement for a timepiece comprising a mechanism for indicating
the power reserve, by way of nonlimiting illustration. In
particular, the mechanism for indicating the power reserve is of
the type comprising differential gearing similar to the mechanism
described in European patent application EP 1 139 182 A1 in the
name of the Applicant Company, and its workings will not be
described in detail insofar as the subject matter of the present
invention does not relate directly to this mechanism. The part of
the description of the aforementioned application relating to how
the differential works is incorporated into this application by
reference.
[0028] FIG. 1 depicts this timepiece movement in a simplified plan
view from the bridges side.
[0029] The movement comprises a plate 1 which has various holes and
countersinks designed for locating and positioning most of the
components of the movement, in the conventional way.
[0030] The plate in particular bears two barrels 2 and 3 forming
the drive member or source of energy of the clock movement. These
two barrels 2 and 3 each comprise a drum 4 having a spur toothing 5
and closed by a cover 6. A main-spring (not visible) is typically
housed in each of the drums, connected to a barrel shaft 7, by an
internal first end, and to the drum, by an external second end.
Each of the shafts 7 allows the corresponding barrel to be mounted
for rotation with reference to the plate.
[0031] The two barrels 2 and 3 are mounted in series, the toothings
5 of their respective drums being positioned in mesh with one
another through a pinion 8.
[0032] The barrels are loaded by action of the user on a
conventional winding mechanism (not depicted) acting, on the input
side of the drive member, on a ratchet 9 which rotates as one with
the shaft 7 of a first barrel 2, rotating the internal end of the
corresponding spring. The spring in the second barrel 3 is wound
via the drum of the first barrel, the pinion 8 and the drum of the
second barrel. The output from the drive member to the going train
(not fully depicted) of the movement is in the form of a wheel 10
which rotates as one with the shaft 7 of the second barrel 3.
[0033] The wheel 10 is arranged in mesh with the pinion 12 of a
center wheel mobile the wheel 13 of which is in mesh with a center
pinion 14. In a known way, the center pinion rotates as one with a
center wheel 15 which has a kinematic connection with a mechanical
oscillator, not depicted, that provides a time base to regulate the
running of display components of the timepiece.
[0034] Furthermore, the movement comprises a mechanism able to
control a display of the power reserve of the barrels 2 and 3. This
mechanism comprises a differential gearing 16 with a first wheel 17
defining a first input of the differential, a second wheel 18
defining a second input of the differential, and a central shaft 19
defining an output thereof.
[0035] The first wheel 17 is arranged directly in mesh with the
ratchet 9 of the first barrel 2, while the second wheel 18 is
kinematically connected to the output wheel 10 of the drive member
via a multiplying gear-train comprising, by way of a nonlimiting
illustration, first, second and third mobiles 21, 22 and 23.
[0036] FIG. 2, which depicts a simplified view in cross section on
II-II of FIG. 1 clarifies the way in which the mechanism that
indicates the power reserve works.
[0037] Each of the input wheels 17 and 18 of the differential is
secured to a toothing 25, 26 positioned in mesh with the toothing
of a planetary wheel 27 secured to the central shaft 19 and free to
revolve about an axis of rotation 28 perpendicular to this
shaft.
[0038] Thus, during winding operations, rotation of the ratchet 9
brings about rotation of the first input wheel 17 which turns the
central shaft 19 via the planetary wheel 27, it being possible for
the second input wheel 18 to be considered to be substantially
fixed for the duration of the winding.
[0039] When the movement is operating normally, the source of
energy discharges, supplying the oscillator with energy, this
oscillator being released from the output wheel 10 of the second
barrel 3, while the ratchet 9 of the first barrel 2 remains
immobile. The slow rotation of the wheel 10 is transmitted to the
second input wheel 18 of the differential via the multiplying
gear-train 21, 22, 23 and thus to the central shaft 19, via the
planetary wheel 27.
[0040] FIG. 3, which depicts a simplified cross-sectional view of
another part of the movement, the section being taken on III-III of
FIG. 5, illustrates the transmission of movements from the central
shaft 19 of the differential to a display member and the way in
which the information relating to the power reserve can
advantageously be displayed by this display member according to the
invention.
[0041] The shaft 30 of the center wheel bears a cannon-pinion 31,
in the conventional way, onto which a minute hand 32 is driven.
Furthermore, the cannon-pinion 31 is connected to an hours wheel 33
by a motion-work (referenced 34 in FIG. 4).
[0042] The hours wheel 33, typically driven by the center wheel so
that it makes one revolution upon itself in twelve hours, bears an
hours hand 35 driven onto its pipe.
[0043] The hours hand 35 comprises a base 36 of cylindrical overall
shape, its axis being coincident with the axis of rotation of the
hours wheel, and having a central hole via which it is driven onto
the pipe of the hours wheel 33.
[0044] The base 36 comprises an additional through-hole 37 directed
perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the hours wheel. An
annular bulge 38 is created around the hole 37 to form an
additional thickness of material at this point.
[0045] The base 36 comprises a pipe the axis of which is coincident
with said first axis of rotation, said first index portion being
defined by a shaft 40 running substantially perpendicular to said
pipe from said base 36. For that, the shaft 40 is driven into the
hole 37, this hole having, in its length from the base 36 of the
hand, three cylindrical sections 41, 42 and 43 each of which has a
diameter slightly smaller than that of the previous section. The
third section 43 has a screw thread, by way of illustration, onto
which two adjacent end portions 44, 45 of conical overall shape are
screwed to define the end of the hours hand 35. As will be seen
later on, the end portion 44 may constitute a retaining element 44,
some distance from the base 36, defining an axial banking for a
second index portion.
[0046] A pipe 46 defining a second index portion of the hours hand
is rotationally mounted on the first section 41 of the shaft 40,
being positioned in abutment against the annular bulge 38 of the
base via its first end 47.
[0047] The first end 47 is equipped with a radial extension bearing
a bevel toothing 48, the latter being positioned in mesh with the
bevel toothing 49 of an additional drive mobile 50 mounted to
rotate freely on the hours wheel 33.
[0048] The additional drive mobile 50 is made to associate the
angular position of said second index portion 46 with the magnitude
of said power reserve at each moment.
[0049] The drive mobile 50 is kinematically connected to the output
of the differential gearing 16. To this end, there is a
reducer-gear comprising, starting from the shaft 19 of the
differential, bearing a pinion 51, first and second setting wheels
52 and 53 followed by a mobile the wheel 54 of which is in mesh
with the second setting wheel 53 and the pinion 55 of which is in
mesh with a wheel 56 of the drive mobile 50. The wheel 56 and the
bevel toothing 49 of the drive mobile 50 are secured to one another
in such a way that the information relating to the power reserve of
the source of energy, which information is generated from the
differential 16, is transmitted to the pipe 46 of the hours hand
35.
[0050] By virtue of this mechanism, the pipe 46 is driven in
rotation with respect to the base 36 of the hours hand, about the
shaft 40, as a function of the change in the magnitude of the power
reserve of the source of energy of the clock movement. In order to
exploit this particular feature, there are various ways of
displaying the corresponding magnitude of the power reserve that
may be adopted. In particular, provision may be made for the pipe
46 to have graduations, in days or in hours, of which the magnitude
displayed toward the plane in which the minutes hand moves
corresponds to the actual magnitude of the power reserve. Provision
may also be made for the first index portion of the hours hand to
bear a fixed mark, designed to lie facing the relevant magnitude,
borne by the pipe, at each moment. In an alternative form of
embodiment, it is conceivable to have graduations in a helix
extending in the axial direction of the pipe 46, allowing an
improvement in the legibility thereof.
[0051] It will be noted that when the hours wheel 33 is
rotationally driven, the hours hand 35 does the same which, for a
constant power reserve, namely when the drive mobile 50 is fixed,
causes the pipe 46 to turn about the first index portion of the
hours hand. What actually happens in this case is that the bevel
tooth set 48 of the pipe runs along the fixed toothing 49 of the
drive mobile. Thus, if no special steps are taken to take this
phenomenon into consideration, then the latter may give rise to a
drift of the indication of the power reserve with reference to its
actual magnitude.
[0052] In the context of the preferred embodiment of the invention
described here, such a drift is neutralized by choosing an
appropriate set of gear ratios for the multiplying gear-train 21,
22, 23 positioned between the output 10 of the source of energy and
the second input 18 of the differential gearing 16. It will be
noted that this choice depends in particular on the number of
desired revolutions of the pipe 46 between the graduations
corresponding to the minimum and maximum magnitudes of the power
reserve, and to the number of revolutions that the shaft 7 of the
second barrel 3 makes between these same magnitudes. A person
skilled in the art will be able to adapt the various gear-trains
involved to suit his own requirements without departing from the
scope of the present invention.
[0053] Furthermore, it will also be noted that the clock movement
comprises a conventional setting mechanism depicted schematically
in FIG. 4 which depicts a simplified plan view, from the plate
side, of some of the elements that have just been described in
conjunction with FIG. 3.
[0054] The setting mechanism comprises a setting stem 60 bearing a
sliding pinion 61 intended to be brought into mesh with a setting
wheel 62, here mounted for translational movement with respect to
the plate 1 so as to engage with the wheel of the motion-work 34
only in the setting position.
[0055] In order to avoid corrupting the indication of the magnitude
of the power reserve when moving the hours wheel 33 from the
motion-work during a setting operation, a compensation gear-train
may be provided. This compensation gear-train comprises a setting
wheel 63 positioned in mesh with the wheel of the motion-work 34
and meshing with a wheel 64 of a compensation mobile the pinion 65
of which is in mesh with the wheel 56 of the drive mobile 50.
Thanks to this structure, when the hours wheel 33 is rotationally
driven off the setting mechanism, the drive mobile 50 is at the
same time rotationally driven in one direction and to an extent
that allows the angular position of the pipe 46 to be kept fixed
relative to the base 36 of the hours hand 35.
[0056] Indenting is preferably provided, in this case, between the
pinion 55 and the wheel 54, to neutralize the compensation applied
to the wheel 56 which causes the pinion 55 to rotate. In the
absence of such indenting, the indication of the magnitude of the
power reserve may be corrupted and the set of gears in the
corresponding mechanism may possibly become damaged.
[0057] Returning to FIG. 3, a special mechanism for displaying an
additional item of information, namely day/night information, using
the hours hand 35, will now be described.
[0058] It can be seen from FIG. 3 that the hours hand 35 comprises
a third index portion coaxial with the shaft 40 and positioned
around the pipe 46 and, also having the form of a pipe 70 free to
pivot with respect to the pipe 46 and with respect to the shaft
40.
[0059] The hand comprises elastic means 71 designed to exert a
force on the second index portion corresponding to the pipe 70
tending to keep it against the axial banking defined by the
retaining element 44 while at the same time allowing it to move
away from said axial banking in order to revolve on itself. These
elastic means are, for example, a helical spring 71 which is
interposed between the pipe 46 and the second section 42 of the
shaft 40, being preloaded between, on the one hand, the flank of
the first section 41 of the shaft 40 and, on the other hand, an
annular internal surface 72 of the pipe 70. The latter therefore
finds itself bearing against the end portion constituting the
retaining element 44 of the first index portion, this retaining
element defining the axial banking for the pipe 70, under the
effect of the force exerted by the spring 71.
[0060] Furthermore, said axial banking also performs a function of
angularly positioning the second index portion corresponding to the
pipe 70 with respect to the base 36. The pipe 70 can occupy two
stable angular positions in its rotational movements, these being
identified by the collaboration of a pin 73 driven into the pipe
with a first or a second blind hole 74 (visible in FIG. 7b) of the
end portion 44. By way of indication, provision may be made for the
pipe to be divided into two halves along a plane containing its
axis of symmetry, each half having its own specific color designed
to make it possible easily to make out the day/night information.
In this case, only half is visible to a user in each of the two
stable angular positions of the pipe.
[0061] Of course, it is possible to provide different angular
positioning means, such as a ball ratchet, and means arranged
differently, particularly separate from the axial banking of the
pipe 70.
[0062] The pipe 70 has at least one moving window 75 positioned in
such a way that it moves in order to reveal or conceal a visual
marking representative of the angular position of the latter
relative to the base 36. For example, two windows 75 are formed in
the pipe 70 and associated with the two stable positions mentioned
hereinabove in order to reveal the graduations borne by the pipe 46
in relation to the magnitude of the power reserve.
[0063] There is an additional drive mobile 78, 80 designed to drive
a second index portion of said hand and having a spur or bevel
toothing intended to mesh with a spur or bevel toothing 77 of the
second index portion defined by the pipe 70. Indeed, the end 76 of
the pipe 70 situated near the base 36 of the hours hand 35 has a
spur or bevel toothing 77 positioned in mesh with the toothing on
the edge of an annular wheel 78 mounted to pivot about the hours
wheel 33. The additional drive mobile 78, 80 is arranged in such a
way that it periodically drives said second index portion 70 so
that it makes half a revolution on itself in order to display a
first or a second of two distinct angular positions.
[0064] The annular wheel 78 is secured to an additional annular
wheel 80 bearing a toothing in mesh with the wheel 81 of a
roller-type disconnecting-gear of conventional type fixed to the
plate 1 by means of a shouldered screw 82. The disconnecting-gear
is designed to transmit the relative rotational movements of its
wheel and of its pinion in just one, transmitting, direction, in
the known way.
[0065] A mechanism of the whip type actuated to control the
movements of said additional drive mobile 78, 80 is provided to act
on the pinion 83 of the disconnecting-gear and cause it to revolve
through a predefined fraction of a revolution, in the transmission
direction, every twelve hours. The way in which this mechanism
works will be described in greater detail in conjunction with FIGS.
5 and 6 which depict it in similar simplified plan views, in two
different configurations.
[0066] The pinion 83 is rotationally driven by a lever 85
comprising a base 86 pivot-mounted on the plate by means of a
shouldered screw 87 and from which two arms 88 and 89 extend,
forming a predefined angle. The arm 88 bears a rack 90, at its free
end, the toothing of which is designed to mesh with the toothing of
the pinion 83. The arm 89 bears a locking pin 91 in the region of
its free end, the function of which will be explained hereinbelow.
A long return spring 92 is mounted on the plate so as to exert on
the arm 89 a force that tends to push it back in the
counterclockwise direction of rotation in FIGS. 5 and 6, a banking
93 secured to the plate being provided to define the corresponding
rest position of the lever 85.
[0067] The whip mechanism also comprises a control wheel 95
rotationally driven in the counterclockwise direction directly by
the hours wheel 33 and bearing, on the one hand, a pin 96 and, on
the other hand, a pallet 97.
[0068] The angular positioning of the control wheel 95 is such
that, during a winding phase that takes place outside of the times
adopted for changing the day/night indication which times are
generally at around six in the morning and six in the evening, the
pin 96 comes into contact with the arm 89 of the lever 85 and
exerts on it a force that opposes the force of the return spring 92
so as to pivot the lever in the clockwise direction.
[0069] When the whip mechanism is in the configuration depicted in
FIG. 5, the locking pin 91 borne by the arm 89 collaborates with
the catch of a ratchet spring 98 fixed to the plate 1 to lock the
lever 85 in the wound position.
[0070] The disconnecting-gear is arranged in such a way that the
rotational movement of its pinion 83, caused by the movement of the
rack 90, is not transmitted to its wheel 81, which remains
immobile.
[0071] The pallet 97 is positioned substantially on the same
diameter of the control wheel 95 as its pin 96, by way of
nonlimiting illustration. Hence, about six hours after the lever 86
has been wound, the pallet 97 comes into contact with a beak 99
situated at the end of the ratchet spring 98, to deform the latter
and release the lever locking pin 91.
[0072] When the lever 85 is released, it pivots in the
counterclockwise direction under the effect of the force exerted by
the return spring 92, to whip the pinion 83 of the
disconnecting-gear, the corresponding movement of the rack 90
causing the pinion 83 to rotate quickly in the transmitting
direction which, in this instance, is in the clockwise
direction.
[0073] FIG. 6 depicts the whip mechanism when the pallet has just
released the lever, but is still in contact with the beak 99 of the
ratchet spring 98.
[0074] It is clear from this figure that the beak 99 has an
additional thickness intended to collaborate with the pin 91 of the
lever, via a bearing surface, so as to lock this lever at the end
of winding. The bearing surface is advantageously curved to give
the lever better stability in the locked position. Furthermore, it
should be noted that the thickness of the pallet 97 is less than
that of the pin 96, allowing it to move past the lever without
touching it, insofar as it does not need to have any direct
interaction with the lever, unlike the pin.
[0075] The gear ratios between the rack 90, the pinion 83, the
wheel 81, the annular wheels 80 and 78 and the spur toothing 77 of
the pipe 70 are preferably chosen so that each pivoting movement of
the lever 85 causes the pipe 70 to rotate through half a revolution
in order to change the day/night information on the hours hand
35.
[0076] As has already been mentioned and will become more clearly
apparent in the course of the description of FIG. 7b, when the pipe
70 is driven to make half a revolution, the pin 73 is extracted
from one blind hole 74 in the first index portion before becoming
lodged in the other. Extraction of the pin 73 becomes possible as a
result of the compression of the helical spring 71.
[0077] It may be noted that, by virtue of the structure just
described, the change in day/night information takes place also
during setting operations, whether these are performed by moving
the hands in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise
direction.
[0078] During the every-day operation of the hours hand 35, the
pipe 70 is immobilized by collaboration of the pin 73 with one of
the blind holes 74. As a result, the annular wheels 78 and 80 are
rotationally driven and rotate the wheel 81 of the
disconnecting-gear in the non-transmitting direction of rotation,
the rotation therefore not being transmitted to the pinion 83. By
virtue of this structure, any deviation liable to creep into the
power reserve is neutralized directly by the
disconnecting-gear.
[0079] Of course, the possible applications of the principle that
has just been described are practically unlimited inasmuch as all
kinds of information can be displayed instead of the day/night
information, for example in particular a second time zone, seconds,
the day of the week, the date, the week, the month, leap years,
etc.
[0080] By way of nonlimiting example, the distribution of the
display surface available between the pipes 46 and 70 can be
altered and provision may be made to display a date on the pipe 70,
the corresponding information being distributed in a helix, as has
already been suggested in relation to the power reserve.
[0081] Provision may also be made for the pipe 70 to be rotated
continuously, by replacing the lever 85 by a setting wheel driven
directly by the control wheel 96 and in mesh with the pinion 83 of
the disconnecting-gear.
[0082] Alternatively, it is possible to arrange an external control
member on the corresponding timepiece, coupled to a mechanism which
would allow the pipe 70 to be turned manually. A mechanism such as
this could be formed on the basis of a preexisting complication in
the movement, such as an alarm function or a striking works
mechanism, or alternatively a switch between two time zones, the
pipe 70 then being put to use to indicate the operational status of
the complication, switched on or off in the case of the alarm or
striking mechanism.
[0083] Furthermore, the structure described for the hours hand 35
is nonlimiting. FIG. 7a depicts a view in cross section of an hours
hand 100 according to an alternative form of embodiment, by way of
illustration. The elements already described in conjunction with
the preceding figures bear the same numerical references as before
in order to make this alternative form of embodiment easier to
understand.
[0084] The hours hand 100 comprises a base 36 from which there
extends a shaft 40 bearing two end portions 44 and 45 just as
explained above.
[0085] Furthermore, the first index portion comprising the shaft
and the end portions defines a support for first and second pipes
101 and 102, having the same respective axes as the shaft 40. The
pipe 102 defines a third index portion.
[0086] The first pipe 101 is mounted to rotate freely on the first
section 41 of the shaft 40 via its main portion 103, this being
secured to an end portion 104 comprising a pin 73 intended to
collaborate with two blind holes 74 belonging to the end portion
44. A helical spring 71 is prestressed between the pipe 101 and the
flank of the first section 41 in order to keep the pipe pressed
against the end portion 44.
[0087] Advantageously, when the pipe 101 is used to display the
day/night information, provision may be made for it to be split
into two halves along a plane containing its axis of symmetry, just
one half being visible to a user at a time, in order to distinguish
the day/night information.
[0088] More specifically, the end portion 104 of the pipe 101 has
transverse dimensions identical to those of the end portion 44,
where these two elements meet, so as to ensure continuity in the
shape of the hours hand 100 and is intended to show the division
for displaying the day/night information.
[0089] The base 36 end of the pipe 101 has a spur toothing 105 in
mesh with the toothing of a mobile 106 mounted to rotate freely
about the hours wheel 33 and driven by an annular wheel 107 to
which it is secured. A person skilled in the art will have no
particular difficulty in implementing means for driving the annular
wheel 107 that are suited to his own requirements on the basis of
the foregoing teaching.
[0090] The second pipe 102 is rotationally mounted on the main
portion 103 of the first pipe 101, its exterior wall lying
substantially in the continuation of that of the end portion 104
thereof.
[0091] Advantageously, the end 108 of the second pipe, situated at
the same end as the base 36 of the hand, comprises a spur toothing
77 or bevel toothing, in mesh with the toothing of a driving mobile
78 rotationally mounted on the mobile 106 and the annular wheel
107. Just as was described previously, the drive mobile 78 may be
made to display the magnitude of the power reserve of the source of
energy of the movement by suitable rotation of the pipe 102 about
the shaft 40.
[0092] The current alternative form of embodiment thus proposes a
structure of the fold-out type, by virtue of which there is no need
to provide one or more windows on the outermost pipe in order to
allow information borne on the innermost pipe to be viewed.
[0093] FIG. 7b depicts the construction of the hours hand in
detail, on the plane of section marked P-P in FIG. 7a, that is to
say a plane of section passing near the side wall of the end
portion 44.
[0094] This figure shows the appearance of the blind holes 74 with
which the pin 73 of the day/night indicating pipe collaborates in
the two stable angular positions thereof. It is also possible to
see that two grooves 109 in the form of arcs of a circle can be
formed on each side of the two blind holes, to make it easier for
the day/night-indicting pipe to turn by reducing the compression of
the helical spring 71.
[0095] The foregoing description corresponds to a preferred
embodiment of the invention described without implying any
limitation. In particular, the shapes depicted and described for
the various constituent parts of the timepiece movement are
nonlimiting.
[0096] The present invention is not restricted to displaying two
additional items of information with the same hand or to the use of
an hours hand to do so. For example, it is possible to anticipate
using the display according to the present invention in conjunction
with a date hand which, as it rotates on itself, would also be able
to display leap years in steps of one quarter of a revolution, or
months, in steps of one twelfth of a revolution.
[0097] It is also possible to use the two additional information
display mechanisms as described, but independently. Conversely, if
the constraints imposed upon the watchmaker in terms of bulk so
permit, the watchmaker may anticipate displaying more than two
additional items of information using the same hand, without
departing from the scope of the present invention. Alternatively,
it is also possible to anticipate two hands, particularly the hours
hand and the minutes hand, behaving similarly, for example
simultaneously displaying the day/night information using similar
mechanisms.
[0098] To complement the foregoing, it will also be noted that it
is possible to add, to the movement described, a mechanism for
determining the times of sunrise and sunset, for example, from
which mechanism the control wheel 95 would be driven so that the
times at which the day/night information changed could alter over
the course of a year.
[0099] Furthermore, displaying the magnitude of the power reserve
has been explained by way of illustration also. It is of course
conceivable to display other information, particularly in a
timepiece of electromechanical type. When the invention is
implemented in a timepiece of mechanical type, the number of
barrels is nonlimiting also, as is the use of differential
gearing.
* * * * *